Giants awed by Madison Bumgarner’s record-setting power display

Updated 10:34 pm, Sunday, April 2, 2017

Photo: Christian Petersen, Getty Images

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PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 02: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants high fives Brandon Belt #9 after Bumgarner hit a solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of the MLB opening day game at Chase Field on April 2, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) less

PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 02: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants high fives Brandon Belt #9 after Bumgarner hit a solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning of the MLB ... more

Photo: Christian Petersen, Getty Images

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PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 02: Starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fourth inning of the MLB opening day game at Chase Field on April 2, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) less

PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 02: Starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fourth inning of the MLB opening day game at Chase Field on April ... more

Photo: Christian Petersen, Getty Images

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San Francisco Giants' Madison Bumgarner (40) celebrates his home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks with first base coach Jose Alguacil, right, during the fifth inning of an opening day baseball game Sunday, April 2, 2017, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) less

San Francisco Giants' Madison Bumgarner (40) celebrates his home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks with first base coach Jose Alguacil, right, during the fifth inning of an opening day baseball game Sunday, ... more

Photo: Ross D. Franklin, Associated Press

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PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 02: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants high fives Hunter Pence #8 after Bumgarner hit a solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of the MLB opening day game at Chase Field on April 2, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) less

PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 02: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants high fives Hunter Pence #8 after Bumgarner hit a solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of the MLB ... more

Photo: Christian Petersen, Getty Images

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PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 02: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning during MLB Opening Day 2017 at Chase Field on April 2, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) less

PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 02: Madison Bumgarner #40 of the San Francisco Giants throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning during MLB Opening Day 2017 at Chase Field on April 2, 2017 in Phoenix, ... more

Photo: Ronald Martinez, Getty Images

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San Francisco Giants' Madison Bumgarner, left, rounds the bases after hitting a home run against Arizona Diamondbacks' Zack Greinke (21) as Diamondbacks' Chris Owings, right, looks to the outfield during the fifth inning of an opening day baseball game Sunday, April 2, 2017, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) less

San Francisco Giants' Madison Bumgarner, left, rounds the bases after hitting a home run against Arizona Diamondbacks' Zack Greinke (21) as Diamondbacks' Chris Owings, right, looks to the outfield during the ... more

Photo: Ross D. Franklin, Associated Press

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San Francisco Giants' Madison Bumgarner throws a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of an Opening Day baseball game Sunday, April 2, 2017, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Francisco Giants' Madison Bumgarner throws a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of an Opening Day baseball game Sunday, April 2, 2017, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Photo: Ross D. Franklin, Associated Press

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Giants awed by Madison Bumgarner’s record-setting power display

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PHOENIX — Major-league baseball has been played since the notion of motor vehicles replacing horses was considered crazy. In all those decades, no pitcher had hit two home runs on Opening Day until Madison Bumgarner did it Sunday.

“I was laughing,” Giants first baseman Brandon Beltsaid. “It’s pretty hard to believe. You expect him to get one now and again. I didn’t expect him to drop two in the first game.”

Bumgarner hit a laser off Arizona starter Zack Greinkein the fifth inning, then a skyscraping blast off lefty Andrew Chafinin the seventh. Only one other San Francisco pitcher, Jim Gott(in 1985), had hit two homers in a game. Only three pitchers since 1970 had homered on Opening Day, most recently the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw against the Giants in 2013.

“I’m trying to be level-headed about it, even-keeled,” Bumgarner said. “Obviously, it’s pretty special, having a chance to do that, but my job is on the mound. That’s where my main concern is. We work a lot on our hitting here. Sometimes a pitcher hitting can affect the outcome of a game. It didn't today.”

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Bumgarner led 3-0 and carried a perfect game into the sixth, when he allowed three runs. He had been unhittable early because of a fastball that hit 94 mph and sat at 93 (the result, he said, of some mechanical tweaks) combined with a sharp curveball and command. He had no walks and 11 strikeouts, including the side in the second inning on 10 pitches.

“He was really good,” catcher Buster Poseysaid. “It’s just, baseball is a funny game, how he can be as good as he can, they hit some tough pitches there, and they’re able to get back into the game.”

The Giants cleared 40-man roster spots for Aaron Hill, Neil Ramirezand Chris Marreroby placing reliever Will Smith on the 60-day disabled list and designating for assignment minor-league pitchers Ray Black and Ian Gardeck. They could stay in the organization if not claimed.

Briefly:Eduardo Nuñezhad an excellent first Opening Day with the Giants. He had three hits, including a double, an RBI and two steals, but he overslid third base attempting to advance on a pitch in the dirt and was called out on video review. … The Giants had a chance to take a big lead in the ninth, but Posey hit a shallow flyball and Brandon Crawford a short chop off the plate with the bases loaded. … Hill, who wore No. 94 in spring training, selected Gregor Blanco’s No. 7 for the season.

Road again: The Giants opened on the road for the 26th time in 33 years. They request it, hoping for more home games in September.

— Henry Schulman

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